1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to data processing systems and, in particular, to a data processing system and method for prohibiting unauthorized access of data stored on a system device. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a data processing system and method for prohibiting unauthorized access of data stored on a system device by uniquely authenticating a planar board within the system with a particular device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Personal computer systems are well known in the art. They have attained widespread use for providing computer power to many segments of today's modern society. Personal computers (PCs) may be defined as a desktop, floor standing, or portable microcomputer that includes a system unit having a central processing unit (CPU) and associated volatile and non-volatile memory, including random access memory (RAM) and basic input/output system read only memory (BIOS ROM), a system monitor, a keyboard, one or more flexible diskette drives, a CD-ROM drive, a fixed disk storage drive (also known as a "hard drive"), a pointing device such as a mouse, and an optional network interface adapter. One of the distinguishing characteristics of these systems is the use of a motherboard or system planar to electrically connect these components together. Examples of such personal computer systems are IBM's PC 300 series, Aptiva series, and Intellistation series.
The most important asset in a computer system is the data stored on a device within the system. The data may be stored on any type of device, such as a universal serial bus (USB) device or any type of hard drive, tape, optical drive, or readable/writable CD-ROM drive. Currently, solutions exist which include password security to protect against unauthorized access to the computer system itself. However, this level of security is inadequate to protect the data stored on a hard drive when the hard drive is physically removed from the computer system or inserted into a different computer system. In systems using this type of protection, by inserting the hard drive into a different system, an unauthorized user may gain access to the data stored on the drive.
Encryption algorithms are known to ensure that only the intended recipient of a message may read and access the message. One known encryption algorithm is an asymmetric, or public key, algorithm. The public key algorithm is a method for encrypting messages sent from a first computer system to a second computer system. This algorithm provides for a public key and a private key pair for each computer system which is unique to each computer system. Each computer system has its own associated public and private key pair which is stored within that computer system.
Prior to the first computer system transmitting a message, the first computer system obtains the public key of the intended recipient of the message, in this case the second computer system. The public key of the second system is obtained by the first computer system from the second computer system. The first computer system then encrypts message using its private key and the public key of the second computer system. The message is then transmitted to the computer identified by the public key, i.e. the second computer system. Upon receipt of the message, the second computer utilizes its private key and the public key of the first computer system to decrypt the message.
The asymmetric encryption algorithm does not provide any security to protect data stored on a hard drive. The algorithm also does not prohibit an unauthorized user from removing a hard drive for use in a different computer system where existing passwords are known.
Therefore a need exists for a data processing system and method for prohibiting unauthorized access of data stored on a device, such as a hard drive, when the device is removed from its associated computer system.